Brundall Neighbourhood Plan 2016 to 2026 Preface This Neighbourhood Plan for Brundall was prepared The Neighbourhood Plan was subjected to an over the course of 2013 and 2016 by a Working independent examination by a planning specialist Group comprising a range of community towards the end of 2015. A number of suggestions representatives from the village. Whilst the Working and recommendations were made by the examiner Group led on the preparation of the Plan it was and these have been incorporated into this hoped that the document reflected the community’s document. vision and aspirations for the future of Brundall. In order to create a Plan that represents residents’ On the 11th May 2016, the Plan was put to residents needs and aspirations, the Working Group drew of Brundall in a referendum: all those on the upon a number of sources including evidence electoral register were invited to vote ‘YES’ or ‘NO’ gathered for the Parish Plan, Neighbourhood Plan to the six policies in the Neighbourhood Plan. 950 consultation events and a raft of other research and people voted (30% of the electorate), of whom 92% analysis. said ‘YES’ and 8% said ‘NO’. This positive outcome enabled the Plan to become an adopted document, The Brundall Neighbourhood Plan Working Group and to be used to help Broadland District Council was formed at the end of 2013 after a call for and the Broads Authority to determine planning members; it comprises Ingenuity in Business (local applications. It has sufficient status to make a real business group), Brundall Primary School, Brundall difference to the future of the village and to shape Memorial Hall, Brundall Local History Group, future proposals put forward by developers. Brundall Riverside Association, Brundall Allotments Association, Broads Society, Brundall Health Centre, Brundall Parish Council and a number of local residents. Working together the Neighbourhood Plan Working Group completed a number of phases of work: Background research; December 2013 – May 2014 Initial public consultation; May 2014 Further research, analysis and development of policy ideas; June and July 2014 Public consultation; June and July 2014 Policy refinement and development; July – November 2014 Pre-submission consultation; December 2014 – January 2015 Preparation of submission draft; February 2015 - April 2015 Independent Examination; October 2015 – November 2015 Contents 1. Introduction, page 1 2. Life in Brundall today, page 4 3. A vision for the village, page 8 4. Brundall policies, page 10 5. Implementation and monitoring, page 24 Photos courtesy of Mr G Hawkins 1. Introduction Section 1: Introduction The Brundall Neighbourhood Plan provides the first ever statutory planning policy document specifically for Brundall. This means that it has the same weight as planning policy documents prepared by Broadland District Council and the Broads Authority; it is therefore a truly important landmark for the community. Neighbourhood Plans such as this were made possible by new community powers contained within the 2011 Localism Act. The Localism Act seeks to decentralise policy making to the local level and give more power to communities to shape where they live. On a more practical level, higher level planning policy documents such as the Greater Norwich Development Partnership Joint Core Strategy cannot feasibly deal with the countless issues particular to every town and village across Broadland; Neighbourhood Plans can, by providing additional details that reflect specific local circumstances and conditions. The Brundall Neighbourhood Plan provides a vision for the future of the village up to 2026 (starting in 2016); which reflects the intended lifespan of the Joint Core Strategy. The Neighbourhood Plan area reflects the Civil Parish of Brundall which is illustrated in Figure 1. The Brundall Neighbourhood Plan contains a number of policies that any future development in the village must take into account. Alongside a vision and objectives, these policies have been developed over the last three years based on the views of those who live or work in the village and independent research. This document is intended to be relatively short, clearly laid out and written in a way that is engaging and understandable to people who are not planning experts. It contains a number of sections as follows: Life in Brundall today A vision for the village Brundall policies Implementation and monitoring. 1 Figure 1: Brundall Neighbourhood Plan Area/Parish Boundary BLOFIELD CP The Pastures Development - under construction KEY STRUMPSHAW CP The Broads Authority Executive Area Brundall Parish/Neighbourhood Plan Area N Scale: Not to scale 2. Life in Brundall today Section 2: Life in Brundall today Brundall is an historic rural Norfolk village on high ground overlooking the River Yare and the central arm of the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads. The village is approximately seven miles from the centre of Norwich in the west and 14 miles from Great Yarmouth in the east. Brundall is surrounded on all sides by open countryside and remains a traditional village; this characteristic is highly valued by local residents. The Parish of Brundall is situated in the south eastern part of Broadland District which arcs around the top of Norwich from Reepham in the west to Halvergate in the east. Parts of the Parish to the south are within the Broads Authority administrative area and form part of the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads which has the equivalent status to a National Park. The village is a ‘linear’ settlement that has grown along a ridge of high ground extending roughly west to east overlooking the Yare River Valley. It is likely that the village originally grew along this strip where a route-way (now The Street & Strumpshaw Road), following the high ground, linked Norwich and Brundall to other towns and villages in what was otherwise a marshy landscape. The linear development pattern of the village was reinforced with the coming of the railway which follows the same west – east alignment as The Street and more recently with the A47 which also runs west – east to the north of the village. Today the village is effectively bounded by the A47 and Run Dike to the north and the River Yare to the south. Living in Brundall Whilst the history of the village stretches much further back in time, the first period of major growth in Brundall was driven by the coming of the railways. Brundall has been described as Norwich’s ‘metroland’ conjuring up images of a new Edwardian middle class escaping life in the city to live in greener and more spacious surroundings. The village has a wealth of impressive residential villas from around this period often occupying prime spots on high-ground overlooking the Broads. Today the village is a much more mixed community although there is evidence to suggest that it remains a popular destination for people to retire to or use as a base to commute into Norwich. The population of the village today is around 4,000 with an average age of 47, slightly higher than for Broadland as a whole at 44. Residents in Brundall are generally well educated and working in skilled occupations. The village contains a number of important community facilities. The largest facility is the Brundall Memorial Hall which comprises an outdoor children’s play area, indoor sports hall, meeting rooms and the Parish Council offices. In addition Brundall benefits from a library, the Church Rooms, Scout Hut and St Laurence Church which all provide important community amenities. The village contains a primary school (Brundall Primary School) and a nursery and pre-school (Snowy’s). There is no secondary school in the village with most students travelling to Thorpe St Andrew on the edge of Norwich. The village also contains a number of dentists, a health centre and nursing homes for older people. 4 The linear pattern of Brundall has meant that no single village centre has ever truly developed. Rather a series of smaller local centres containing a few retailers, business premises and leisure facilities have developed at points along The Street. Working in Brundall The economy of Brundall has historically been dominated by its location on the River Yare and its proximity to Norwich. Whether this was as a destination for Victorian and Edwardian day-trippers getting out of the city for recreation or for market gardens growing and transporting fresh produce into the city on the river, the legacy of which can still be seen today in local street names such as Cucumber Lane, Berryfields and Nurseries Avenue. Whilst the supply of fresh produce in Brundall is largely a thing of the past, the relationship with the river remains strong. The main concentration of employment activity in the village is at Brundall Riverside on a wide meander south of the railway line. This area contains an historic and important group of businesses involved in the boat building supply chain and Broads tourism which help to make up one of the most important concentrations of boat building activity in the UK. Brundall Riverside is not the only centre for employment activity in the village. There are a number of smaller but important concentrations of employment at points along The Street containing retail, retail service and professional service companies. In 2013 they formed a thriving local business group, ‘Ingenuity in Business’ with one aim being to secure improvements in the availability of services for business and trade in Brundall. Despite having a strong business base, we know that a lower percentage of residents work in Brundall today than is likely to have been the case in the past. Presently, only around 20% of employed residents both live and work in the village, with 80% out-commuting, primarily to Norwich. Large proportions of residents are employed in healthcare, retail, education, construction, manufacturing and financial services.